In addition, our eldest son Micah, served as a leader at our church’s holiday club. Since the leaders spent the night at church all week, Jake, Caleb and I didn’t see Micah at all this week. For Micah, this was not only a time to serve, but a time to make connections with the youth leaders and determine if he fit. This is a new church for our family. Just as this was a momentous week for John, the same was true for Micah in a much more personal way. Both had significant need, but for different reasons.

We experience lives of amplified need, don’t we?

Our primary needs are basic – food, water, and shelter.

There are the needs we have of others – honor, respect, safety, protection, community…

And then, there are personal, community, state and provincial, national and world needs – justice, law, order, economic stability, freedom, peace….

Still, there is no greater need than our need of God.

In Divine support of my prayerful conviction this past week, the Lord gave me this verse as part of my ongoing saint word study:

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. New American Standard Version, Ephesians 6:18

The NIV records this verse this way:

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

And the Message states Paul’s exhortation to pray in this manner:

Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

What amazing truths and insights on prayer are gained from these three translations!

First, check out the word ‘all.’

We are asked to pray at all times.

We are asked to pray all kinds of prayers.

We are asked to pray with all perseverance and strength.

And we are asked to pray for all of the saints – our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Think of this all-kind-of-prayers-in-all-kinds-of-situations-with-all-perseverance-for-all-kinds-of-believers like this:

At every moment, every person and everything is brought before our God with our every prayer.

Our lives are aligned and in rhythm with our God as we seek His desires and His purposes. We undergird ourselves with His Presence, His peace and His strength in prayer.

As I shared, I was aware that I not only needed to pray for my family and for others, but that I needed the Presence and Power of God as I prayed.

I need His powerful and guiding influence in my life.

Do you?

Friends, we live in disheartening and discouraging times.

The horrific tragedies experienced in our world in the past month have shocked us; Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.

The humanitarian crises that seem to have no solution; Syrian refugee need and impasse, Iraq displacement, human sex-trafficking, South Sudan conflict, and more.

Friends, we need God and His powerful and guiding influence to hold us steady and to rally us forward in the love and grace of Jesus Christ.

This is why I pray.

Yes, I have prayed more this past week. But honestly, the Lord has been pressing in close to me this past year and saying, “It is time to pray and bring every person, every situation, every nation, and every single concern at every moment to Me.”

How is that even possible?

Is it?

Yes!

As we dedicate ourselves to aligning our hearts and minds to pray all kinds of prayers, at all times throughout our day, with all perseverance and strength, for one and all, our lives become a never-ending prayer.

Get that?

Our lives have the potential, the ability and the capacity to become a prayer.

It’s time, people of Christ.

There is no greater power available to us than that of Jesus Christ to direct our lives for the blessing and care of our family, our friends, our communities, our nations, and our world than to live our lives as a prayerful people; alert to the needs about us and ready and willing to pray.

I am praying in this regard for my husband, my children, and my family and friends.

I am praying in this regard for Zimbabwe and her people.

I am praying in this regard for the United States and her unity.

I am praying in this regard for the nations – so that they will be won for Christ.

And so much more!

It is time to pray at every moment, for every person, about everything, and in every circumstance for Jesus Christ to forgive us, help us, guide us, heal us, and strengthen us.

It is time to make our lives a never-ending prayer.

So, how can I pray for you? If you know me personally, drop me an email or Facebook message.

And if not, and you would really like me to pray for you, write your prayer in the comments section below, and I will write my prayer for you in response. I will.